The Rub
by StillDreaming85
Summary: Most mothers would do whatever it took to provide for their children, which was exactly what Bella Mason did when she found out her husband had left them. With the walls closing in and the debt collectors on her doorstep, how far was she willing to go?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hey! Thanks for checking out my new story. I want to warn you that this one is going to be **irregular updates**, but the girls over on my FB group were cool with that so I decided to post it.

I still plan to continue and complete all my stories, but RL has been keeping me busy. (Summer holidays + 3 kids = nightmare)

I have a chapter of Jurisdiction almost finished. So I will hopefully be updating that soon. Then onto Relentless.

Thanks for your patience.

A big thank you to **SunFlowerFran **&** CristinaN** for working with me on this chapter and making it pretty.

I also want to give the girls from my FB group a shout out for their continued support. It means a lot to me.

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**Chapter One**

"He's gone." I cried into the phone as soon as I heard Emily pick it up.

"Who's gone? What are you talking about?" She asked her voice full of concern.

"Edward … He left me a note. He's gone … He's left me and the kids." My hand automatically went to my mouth as the words came tumbling out. I couldn't believe what I was saying.

It couldn't possibly be true.

"Wait. What? What did the note say?" Emily asked.

"I'm sorry." I answered as I looked down at the two lonely words on the paper in my hand. "That's it."

Seven years of marriage and that was all I got, all _we_ got. I didn't know if I should feel angry or hurt.

"Bella." Emily sighed. I knew she thought it was another one of those moments where I was overreacting about nothing, but I knew this time was different. I knew things hadn't been right between us for a while. I just never figured he would leave me … leave us.

"That could mean anything." She continued. "It could mean I'm sorry I used the last of the milk or I'm sorry that I broke your mother's vase … Have you tried calling him?"

"Yes." I whimpered as I remembered the message I received on his line. _'The number you are trying to reach is no longer in service. If you think, you've received this message in error then please try again.'_

So I did, another twenty-two times and each one of those times, I received the same, soul-destroying message.

He was gone.

That was when I had crumbled and finally called Emily. We had been best friends since kindergarten. She had always been able to fix anything she put her mind to, but I was beginning to wonder if this was beyond her capabilities.

"His phone's been disconnected." I whispered when I remembered she was still waiting for an answer.

"Where are you?" She demanded.

"At home." I answered as I glanced around the room. Everywhere I looked, I saw something that reminded me of him, of us.

I ran my hand along the kitchen counter as the memory flooded my mind. This was where we had the most amazing make-up sex last Friday night, after we had one of the most horrific arguments. He had snapped my head off for no reason. He had been doing it a lot lately. Something was bothering him, and it had been for a while now, but he wouldn't open up to me. He had been pushing me away, keeping me at arm's length. Maybe if he had let me help him then we wouldn't be in this mess.

I looked over at the fridge and saw the photographs that littered the door, photos of him posing with me, or the kids.

We all looked so happy.

Had it all been a lie?

I knew it hadn't been for me. I was ecstatic that he had chosen to be with me. Edward was my childhood sweetheart. The only man I had ever been with—the only man I had ever wanted.

Was that what this was?

Was there someone else?

Was he with someone else?

I walked closer; looking at the faces of my babies as my fingers gently traced their hair.

How could he do this to them?

They were going to be heartbroken. They idolized him and now they weren't going to see him again until …

When?

What do I tell them?

How do I explain that I had no idea where their daddy was or when he would be coming back?

Did he expect me to lie for him?

"Bella … Bella." Emily shouted down the phone.

"I'm here."

"I'm on my way over." Emily said in a tone that left no room for argument.

I shook my head as the tears began to fall. "I … I have to go and pick the kids up from school."

"You're not fit to pick up the kids. I'll call Sam and have him go."

"Okay." I sighed. I didn't have the strength to argue with her and I wasn't sure if I was ready to face my babies just yet.

Emily hung up the phone as I sunk onto the floor, wrapping my arms around my legs and letting my head fall into my knees.

I couldn't hold it together anymore.

My whole world was falling apart.

Last night I had gone to bed worrying about what I was going to make for dinner, and now I had no idea how I was going to put dinner on the table.

I've never had a job.

I had fallen pregnant with Jackson straight out of high school and Olivia had followed shortly after. Edward had always insisted that I stay at home and look after the kids while he went out to work and brought home the bacon.

Who would want to hire someone my age with no experience?

I had no idea what we were going to do or how we were going to survive.

If we were going to survive.

_~Rub~_

I had no sense of how long I sat there on the kitchen floor, crying my heart out. I wasn't aware of anything but the pain that now resided inside of me.

Until I heard my mother's voice.

"Bella … Bella … Bella where are you?"

I lifted my head as she spotted me huddled on the floor.

"Oh honey." She said as she dropped to her knees, pulling me into her arms. "Emily called me."

Of course, she did. I should have known she would have.

"How could he do this to my baby, to my babies?" She said as she pulled back and studied me with worried eyes. "When I see that asshole I'm gonna tear off his balls and force feed them to him. Who the hell does he think he is? Treating you like this. Running off without so much as an explanation. He's no good Bella." She growled.

I started crying.

I couldn't listen to this right now.

I wasn't ready.

"Esme." Emily hissed as she walked into the room. "You're not helping."

"He was never good enough for you." My mother continued, oblivious to how upset she was making me.

"Esme Platt." Emily snapped. "I swear to god I'll send your ass back home if you don't shut up."

My mother jumped at the tone in Emily's voice, but with one look from her, she knew Em wasn't messing around. She made a gesture of zipping her lips and throwing away the key.

I wondered how long that would last.

My mother had always been outspoken. She often said things without thinking, but her heart was in the right place. She was kind and caring and would go above and beyond for anyone, especially her family, which made it easy to forgive her trespasses.

"I brought wine." Emily said holding the bottle up in the air for me to see. It happened to be my favorite, Martian Ranch Grenache Rose "Why don't you get up off that floor and go over to the couch and I'll pour us all a glass."

I nodded.

A glass sounded good right about now, or perhaps a bottle.

My mother stood up and helped me to my feet. She placed her hands on my shoulders and she gently guided me towards the sofa as if I wouldn't be able to find the way on my own.

I think she was scared to let me out her sight.

She took the seat beside me and we sat there in silence as she fidgeted with the hem of her dress. I knew she was dying to find out all the sordid details of my broken marriage, but she was trying her best to refrain from asking.

Emily brought us both a glass of wine. "I told Sam to keep the kids at ours for the night." She said as she sat down on the sofa on the other side of the coffee table.

I shook my head. "No. I want them here, with me." Tonight was going to hard enough without being away from them.

"I'll stay the night with her." Esme said as she patted my leg.

"No, Mom I'd rather just get the first night over with on my own. I'll have the kids here to occupy me." I assured her. I just really didn't want her to stay here. I couldn't bear a night of her fussing all over me, not when all I wanted to do was cry.

"If that's what you want, but-."

"I'll text Sam." Emily said butting in before my mom had a chance to argue about it. "I'll get him to feed the kids and do their homework before he brings them home."

"Thanks Emily. That would be great." I said before knocking back the contents of my glass.

The thought of the kids coming home made me nervous. It wasn't that I didn't want to see them. I couldn't wait to hold them and to know that they were okay.

I just didn't know what I was going to tell them. Every time I thought about what to say, I imagined their tiny, disappointed faces and it made my heart break even further.

I knew I had to spare them from as much pain as possible, even if that did mean lying for him.

"Do you want another glass?" Emily asked.

I snapped out of my daze to see her standing next to me with the bottle of wine in hand.

I covered the top of my glass as I shook my head. "Not just now. I need a clear head for when the kids get back. I know they'll have questions that I'll need to answer."

Em nodded with approval. "I think that's a good idea."

"So … Did you have an argument? Are you sure this isn't temporary?" My mother asked. I turned around to see her critical eyes examining me.

"Esme." Emily warned.

"It's okay Em." I said forcing a smile to assure her. I knew the quicker I gave my mom details, the sooner she would settle down. It wasn't as if she hadn't gone through her share of broken marriages. She would understand.

"We hadn't argued for days. In fact, today started just like any other day." It was one of the reasons it made his actions harder for me to understand. "I made Edward's lunch and saw him off to work. When he left he seemed happy enough, there was no longing goodbye, nothing to suggest that anything was off with him."

"After he was gone, I followed our usual routine. I got the kids dressed and ready for school. I dropped them off before meeting up with Rosalie for a coffee. After I had left the coffee shop, I went to the store to buy … Shit!" I said jumping up.

"What's wrong?" My mom and Emily asked in unison.

"The groceries are still in the trunk. I forgot all about them." I said hurrying towards the front door. I raced over to the SUV, opening the trunk, rummaging through the paper bags. It was just as I feared; all the frozen stuff was ruined.

"Great, just fucking great." I shouted as I punched the door in frustration.

"What's wrong?" My mother asked appearing at my side with Emily.

"All the frozen stuff has defrosted." I sighed.

"It doesn't matter. We'll replace it." My mother said trying to console me.

"Yeah?" I snapped. "With what money? In case you haven't noticed, Edward has fucked off and I don't have a job."

"I'll help you out." She said, unfazed by my tone.

I shook my head. "Mom, you have a part time job at a salon. You barely have enough to look after yourself."

"Hey. I do all right." She said sounding offended.

I took a deep breath to stop myself from saying anymore. I was taking this out on her and none of it was her fault.

It wasn't fair.

"I know. I'm sorry Mom." I sighed feeling terrible for what I had said.

"It's okay." She said pulling me into her arms. I think this woman would forgive me for almost anything.

I closed my eyes and absorbed the warmth and comfort she was offering as I hugged her back fiercely, even though it wasn't her arms in which I was pretending to be held in.

After a few minutes, she pulled away and broke the spell. I instantly felt lost and broken again.

"Better?" She asked.

I nodded, even if it wasn't the truth.

"Good. Now let's get these groceries inside and put away before the kids come home."

_~Rub~_

I watched through the blinds as Sam's car pulled into the drive. I could see the kids sitting in the back seats singing and dancing. They looked so happy and carefree. It warmed my heart to see them like this, but I knew their happiness was about to dissipate the moment they entered the house to find out their dad was gone.

Sam had called to let me know that they were leaving and to warn me that the kids had been asking a lot of questions.

Why was he looking after them?

Where was Aunty Emily?

Were Mom and Dad okay?

When were they going home?

Could they call home?

He hadn't been sure how to answer them, so he had done his best not to give them an answer, which I was sure wasn't an easy task. After all, they got their determined nature from me.

I took a deep breath to prepare myself as they jumped out of the car and started to make their way towards the house.

"You'll be fine." Emily said as she appeared behind me.

"It's not me I'm worried about." I said as I turned around to face her, trying to swallow the lump that was now forming in my throat.

Before she had a chance to reply Jackson burst in the front door. He quickly looked around the room then made a b-line straight for me.

I dropped to my knees and he ran right into my arms.

It felt so good to hold him.

"Hey Mom." He said as he wrapped his small arms around my neck and tucked his head into my shoulder.

"Hey." Was all I managed to say as I pulled him closer. I planted kisses all over the side of his head. I had missed him so much. It felt like an eternity had passed since this morning.

After a few minutes, he pulled back to look at me with a concerned look on his face. "Where's Dad?"

He had no idea how much that question tore me apart.

"He … ah." I looked behind him to see Olivia and I was grateful for the distraction. She was standing there watching the two of us with a sad look on her face. I peeled one arm away from Jackson and motioned for her to come over.

She slowly walked over to us. I wrapped my arms around the two of them and pulled them close.

These were my babies, my life.

I never wanted to let them go.

I placed kisses all over Olivia's face needing her to know I loved her just as much as Jackson.

I never wanted them to question how much I loved them. I would always be there for them and I would make damn sure they knew it all the time**.**

My eyes started to well up as I thought about the kid's future.

Would Edward be there?

Would he be part of their lives?

"Did you two have a good time with Uncle Sam?" I asked trying to distract myself. I didn't want them to see me cry.

They both pulled away to look at me. I did my best to smile.

"Yes." Olivia answered with a grin. "He let us eat the chocolate pudding before the pizza."

"Oh, he did, did he.?" I asked sending Sam a joking glare. "I think we'll need to have words."

"Oli you weren't meant to tell." Jackson said giving his sister an angry shove.

"Hey." I said firmly as I grabbed his hand. "We'll have none of that. Mom was only teasing Uncle Sam. I don't mind that he treated you, you deserve it. Just don't expect me to serve chocolate pudding before dinner. Okay?"

They both nodded their head as I stood up.

"Where's Dad?" Jackson asked again. He was a smart little cookie. He had probably noticed I had avoided answering the first time.

"Well." I said reaching for their hands and pulling them towards the couch. "That is something I wanted to talk to you about."

I sat them down on the couch and took a seat on the coffee table in front of them, never letting go of their hands, which I think was more for my benefit than theirs.

"Daddy had to go away for a little while." I said knowing that wasn't going to be enough to satisfy their needs.

"Why?" Olivia moaned.

I took a deep breath as I drew up the strength to answer. "To work … There wasn't enough work here in Fernley. So he's had to go away to make money."

"Why?" Jackson moaned.

"Well. Do you want to keep this house and all the lovely things you have?" They both nodded. "Then Daddy has to go and work so we can keep them."

I made a note that I had to find out how much money we had left so I could figure out how long it would stretch until I found work.

"Mom is going to find a job, too." I added not wanting it to be a surprise when I finally did find work.

They both giggled, which brought a small smile to my lips.

"Moms don't work." Olivia said shaking her head.

"Some Moms do."

"What kind of job?" Jackson asked.

I shook my head. "I'm not sure yet darlin'."

Olivia yawned. They both looked worn out, and it was past their bedtime.

"Why don't I get you two ready for bed?" My mom said, stepping forward. I had forgotten she was there.

I nodded. It sounded like a good idea and I could use a breather.

"I want to call Daddy and say goodnight." Olivia moaned as she picked up Honey, her worn teddy, from the sofa and folded her arms.

My bottom lip quivered.

How could he do this? I asked myself for the thousandth time.

Did he not realize how much they would miss him?

How much I would miss him?

I bit down on my lip, only releasing it when I was sure I had control of myself. "Daddy's phone is not working right now."

"Why not?" Olivia pouted.

I knew she was going to take this the hardest. She was a daddy's girl.

"It broke."

"Is he going to get a new one?" She asked as she rubbed Honey's ear between her fingers. It was what she did to soothe herself.

"I'm not sure." I sighed.

"When will he be back?" Jackson asked.

"I'm …" I quickly looked away from them as the tears began to sting my eyes and my lip started to shake. I wasn't sure I could hold them inside.

"Right." Mom said clapping her hands. "That's enough questions for tonight. Time for bed."

They both moaned.

"C'mon." Emily said stepping forward and pulling them both off the couch. "You heard Nana. Bed time."

I held my breath as I listened to them drag their feet along the hall. It wasn't until I heard the bathroom door shut that I let go of the sob I was holding.

I would never forgive him for doing this.

"I'm sorry Bella." Sam said as he dropped to his knees and pulled me into his arms.

"Yeah, me too." I said in response, but I wasn't exactly sure why.

Falling in love with Edward Mason or becoming dependent on a man I thought I would always be here.

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**A/N: Okay so a show of hands, who hates Edward?**

**FFN has been super annoying lately and grouping words together after you upload the file. I have scanned the file and fixed the ones that I could see. If there is any more. Please drop me a little note and let me know. Thanks for reading x x  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **

A big thanks to **SunFlowerFran** for being an awesome beta. (I hope you get better soon.)

And a big thanks to **CristinaN** & **Banshee69** for pre-reading for me.

Thanks for the reviews/alerts/favs/kind comments

Enjoy!

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**Chapter 2**

"Bella … Bella?" Sam called. "Are you listening?"

"Hmmm." I said looking up from the glass of wine in my hand, the same one I had been nursing for the past hour. Emily had poured it for me after the kids had gone to bed, saying it would help me sleep, but I knew that nothing was going to help me sleep tonight.

Edward was gone.

My marriage was broken, and my kids were without a father.

"I was telling you that I had called around to the boys." Sam continued. "No one has spoken to or seen Edward for a few days, but I can't get a hold of Paul. I'm gonna try him again in the morning. If I have to, I'll head to his house and speak to Rachael."

I sighed.

I didn't like Paul.

He was shady, and if I thought for a minute, he had something to do with the reason Edward had left; then I was going to kill him.

I honestly had no idea what Edward saw in him. He was a con man and a sleaze, and it wasn't as if Edward was short on friends.

Why did he persist on keeping him around?

"Jacob is running a trace on his cards and sending his information to the borders."

I nodded.

Jacob was a friend of Sam's. I liked him. He was a genuinely nice guy, but we didn't see him a lot, because his job kept him busy. He was a cop and often worked a lot of extra hours.

Sam joked that he had married his job because he couldn't find a woman.

"I also called Alistair …" Sam said hesitantly.

Alistair was Edward's boss over at Nevada Construction.

"He … Ah … He said Edward no longer works for them … That he hasn't worked for them for a while."

The glass slipped from my hand crashing onto the floor.

The glass shattered as the contents bleed out onto the wood.

"What?" I whimpered. "What do you mean he no longer works for them, and hasn't for a while?"

"I'm sorry Bella … He got paid or laid off a few months ago."

I stood and ran my hands through my hair.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Well … Where's he been going every day?" I asked confused.

It didn't make any sense.

I had been making him lunch every day. He had left every day in work clothes and wouldn't come home until his usual time.

Where had he been going?

What had he been doing?

And with who?

I shook my head as the most-appalling thought came into my mind.

It was so appalling that I felt sick.

My legs started to give way.

Sam rushed to my side and wrapped his arm around my waist, holding me up.

"Bella?" He asked concerned.

"You don't—" I gasped. "You don't think he found someone else? Do you?"

Sam spun me around to face him. "Bella, you know that Edward only ever had eyes for you. He loves you. Whatever this is … we'll figure it out, together."

"Loves me?" I cried bitterly. "He has a funny way of showing his love."

"I know." Sam said as he pulled me against his chest, hugging me tight. "I can't understand it. I can't help but think he's in trouble … I don't know why he wouldn't come to me for help."

The idea of Edward being in trouble brought on another dose of nausea.

What kind of trouble would make you flee from your family?

"I have to sit down." I whimpered.

Sam helped me over to the couch, slowly lowering me into the seat.

At the same time, Emily came back into the room.

"What happened?" She asked as she looked between the two of us and the broken glass on the floor.

"It was just a little accident." Sam said, shooting her a stern look.

She nodded and rushed off to the cupboard to fetch a dustpan.

"Olivia has finally fallen asleep." She said as she started to tidy up the mess.

"Thanks Em." I said forcing a smile.

My mother had started to become overbearing over an hour ago, so Emily had sent her home, telling her that she was stressing me out, and I didn't need that right now.

Emily had then taken charge of Olivia, who was going out of her way to act like a diva tonight and refusing to go to sleep. I think she thought if she acted up enough then we would call Edward.

If only she knew the truth.

I couldn't call him even if I wanted to.

"Do you mind if we head home?" She asked as she put the last of the glass in the bin. "It's getting pretty late and we both have work tomorrow."

"I'm sorry; I didn't realize the time." I said looking at the clock. It was just after half eleven.

I shouldn't have kept them here as late.

"There is nothing to apologize about, we both wanted to be here." Emily said coming over and sitting next to me on the sofa. She pulled me into her arms and held me tight. "If you need us then all you have to do is call. I don't care what time of the night it is or if we're at work. If you need us, you call, and we'll be here. Okay?"

I nodded.

"I want you to know you're not alone in this Bella. We're right here with you." Emily said as she pulled back and looked me over.

I nodded again as I wiped away a few tears.

I had no idea what I would do if I didn't have Emily in my life.

"I love you Em."

"I love you too Bells." She said leaning in for another quick hug.

When she pulled away, she looked me over with concern. "You should go and get some sleep."

I could tell, by the way that she was looking at me that she didn't want to leave. We both knew what I was going to do the minute she went out the door.

"I will." I told her forcing a small smile.

"Come on." Sam said grabbing Emily's hand and pulling her to her feet. "Let's give her some space."

I also knew if Sam weren't here then she wouldn't be able to leave.

Emily grabbed her bag, and I followed them through the house to the front door.

"I just want to thank you guys again, for being there for me … I don't know what I would have done if I-"

Emily put her finger on my lips. "It goes without saying." She said before pulling me in for one last hug. "Now go and get some rest."

She hesitated at the door.

"I'll be fine." I assured her.

Sam wrapped his arm around her waist and guided her away from the door, but that didn't stop her from glancing back every few steps.

I knew she would be up worrying about me most of the night.

I watched them get into the car and drive off before I locked the front door and proceeded to go around the house checking that the windows and patio doors were locked.

I didn't like the idea of being alone in the house with the kids without someone here to protect us and keep us safe.

Maybe I was being paranoid, but we'd never slept in the house without Edward before and I didn't want to start now.

I wanted him here with me.

I wanted him to wrap his arms around me and tell me that this had all been a big mistake. That he was sorry, and this would never happen again.

I knew I would take him back in that instant without a second thought.

I loved him, and I missed him so much my heart bled.

When I had finished checking the locks, I turned around to face the open planned living room. My eyes roamed over the photo frames and ornaments on the fireplace to the kid's toys piled by the side of the sofa.

Everything looked the same, and yet felt so different.

Felt so wrong.

I walked over to Edward's chair and ran my hand along the suede material. He would usually be sitting here watching the game, with a bottle of beer in his hand, but instead the chair was now empty, longing for his presence just as much as I was.

I sat down in the chair curling myself into a ball. I wrapped my arms around my legs trying to stop myself from falling apart.

This wasn't how things were supposed to be.

We were supposed to be together for forever.

He was my husband …

We had both sworn the vows …

For as long as we both shall live.

The last word stuck in my throat.

What if …

What if something had happened to him?

I shuddered at the thought.

How would I ever know?

How would I ever find out?

I shook my head, telling myself that I couldn't think like that. I had to be strong, if not for me then for the kids.

Edward would never do something that would risk his life.

He wouldn't do something stupid that would leave his kids without a father, permanently.

At least that was what I had to tell myself if I had any hope of getting through this.

I just hoped that he would call and let me know that he was okay. Even if he just called Sam. I didn't care, as long as I knew he was all right.

The not knowing was going to kill me.

I pulled the throw off the backrest of the chair and wrapped it around me, taking comfort in the soft threads of the fabric.

I closed my eyes and took a deep inhale, hoping to find the lingering scent of his aftershave, but there was nothing there.

He was just … Gone.

I sat there for ages consumed by questions that I knew would never be answered.

I only thought to move when my joints started to ache and stiffen.

I found myself making my way through to our bedroom. It was the first time I had been in here since I had found the note.

The room was exactly as I had left it this morning. I wasn't sure what I had been expecting to find. Perhaps clothes strewn across the floor and drawers left open as he had made a mad dash to collect his things before I returned home. But nothing was out of place.

It was almost as if he hadn't come in the room, but surely, if he had left then he had taken something with him?

I made my way over to the wardrobe, hesitating at the doors.

I knew if he had taken all his clothes then that would mean that he never planned on coming home, but what if he had left some of them here?

Did that mean he did plan to return?

Or, was I just giving myself false hope?

I slowly opened the doors.

My breath hitched at what I saw.

It looked as if all of his clothes were still here.

He couldn't have taken anything other than the clothes upon his back or at the most one spare change.

But that didn't make any sense.

Where was he going that he didn't need any clothes?

Was he really in trouble?

Was he coming back?

My mind slipped back to the note.

Two single words scribbled on a sheet of notepaper.

_I'm sorry._

Was Emily right?

Had I made an issue out of nothing?

I shook my head as I thought back to his hostile nature and the way he had been pushing me out and keeping me at a distance.

No, there was no way this could be anything else.

Edward had left me.

I lifted his favorite Wolf Pack football top shirt off the rack.

I took off my clothes and tossed them onto floor before I pulled on his shirt. It drowned my small frame, but I didn't mind.

I headed over to the dresser and sprayed the top with his favorite cologne.

I took a second to close my eyes and enjoy the intense scents of amber and wood.

He had worn this cologne a lot over the years.

It reminded me of so many happy days that we had spent together.

Like our wedding day.

It had been the happiest day of my life … And if it had been the happiest then this had to be the worst.

Dry agonizing sobs broke free from my chest as I stumbled towards the bed and crawled onto Edward's side.

I pulled his pillow beside me as I wrapped my arms around it and pretended it was him lying next to me, holding me and telling me that everything would be all right.

I could still smell his lingering scent on the pillow, where he had slept just last night.

It made me howl that much harder.

I missed him.

I wanted him to come home.

I didn't want him to leave me.

~Rub~

When the alarm went off, I was still awake. I hadn't been able to sleep at all last night.

I headed into the bathroom and did my best to freshen myself up.

I put cream on my eyes hoping it would help get rid of the puffiness so no one would know I had spent the full night crying.

I then went through to the kitchen and got two bowls and two cups. I set the kid's cereal out and then poured them a glass of OJ before I went to wake them.

I went into Jackson's room first.

He was lying star-fished on top of his covers, still asleep.

I kneeled down and gently shook him.

"Jackson honey, it's time to get up and have breakfast."

He moaned and turned away from me. He was just like his father. He hated getting out of bed, too.

I had to fight the lump in my throat that formed the moment my thoughts drifted towards Edward.

That was something I was going to have to work on.

I couldn't breakdown every time I thought about him or every time his name was mentioned.

"Jackson." I called quietly.

"What?" He snapped.

"It's time to get up and go get breakfast."

I helped him sit up.

He was struggling to keep his eyes open, the poor soul.

"Mom, are you okay?" He asked when his eyes landed on mine.

"I'm fine honey." I said forcing a smile. "Go up to the table and get your breakfast while I go and wake Olivia."

"You look as if you have been crying."

I leaned in and kissed his head. "I'm fine." I said before leaving the room.

I went into Olivia's room. She was still wrapped under the covers, probably in the same spot Emily had left her. She was like me; she didn't rumble much in her sleep**,** and it didn't take much to wake her up either.

"Olivia" I whispered as I gently stroked her hair. "It's time to wake up sweetheart."

Olivia opened her eyes and looked straight at me. "Is Daddy home yet?" She mumbled.

I shook my head. "Not yet honey."

She sighed and folded her arms across her chest.

"I know sweetie." I said before leaning in to kiss her head. "He'll be home when he can."

I could see the tears forming in her eyes, and I knew if she started to cry then I would too.

"Why don't you go and eat breakfast. It's almost time for school."

She nodded; Olivia loved school.

I helped her out the bed and watched her as she made her way through to the kitchen.

While the kids ate breakfast, I jumped in the shower. Then quickly dried my hair and applied enough makeup to cover-up the redness on my face.

I then quickly made the kids beds and sat their clothes out for the day.

I checked the time as I made my way to the kitchen. "It's time to hurry up and get dressed. We only have fifteen minutes left before we have to leave." I told them, ushering them towards their rooms.

I then stuck the coffee machine on before I started making their packed lunches.

When I finished, I poured myself a coffee in a travel cup and went to check on their progress.

Jackson was still in his pajamas, lying on his bed with his iPad in his hand.

"Clothes on now, Mister—you know the rules. No games before school."

He muttered something under his breath but proceeded to get up to get dressed.

When I went into Olivia's room, she was just pulling on her shoes.

"Good girl Olivia." I said as I went over to her dresser and grabbed a hairbrush and some bands.

I brushed her hair and then pleated it, so it was neat and tidy for school.

I checked the clock on my way back out into the hall. "Time to go guys," I shouted as I hurried into the kitchen and grabbed my coffee and the lunches.

I grabbed my car keys as I headed towards the front door, checking to see that both of them were following me.

When I opened the door, two men with a tow truck were pulling my SUV onto the back of the flatbed.

"Hey!" I shouted demanding their attention.

What the hell were they doing?

"Jackson, Olivia, you stay here." I warned before I hurried over to the men.

"What's going on? What the hell are you doing with my car?"

"Look Lady, it's being repossessed." The one with the beer belly told me. "It's what happens when you don't keep up with the payments."

"I … We … My husband takes care of the payments." I muttered bewildered.

"Well he hasn't been making them sweetheart." The younger, slimmer one said.

"Look." Beer belly said as he went into his pocket and pulled out the paper. "I have the order right here." He showed me the paper, detailing all of the missing payments.

"I …"

"I'm sorry lady." He said as he shoved the paper back into his pocket. He then put his hand out towards me.

I looked at him confused.

"The key."

"Oh." I wiggled the key off my key-ring and reluctantly handed it over to him.

I hurried back towards the house and ushered the kids inside.

I couldn't believe what was happening.

I hoped that none of the neighbors had seen the tow truck, but I knew that was unlikely.

"What's going on Mom? What are those men doing with your car?" Jackson asked, following me around the house.

"Not just now Jackson." I snapped and then immediately regretted. "Mom has to make a call. Just wait here."

I pulled my phone out my pocket and dialed Emily's number.

"Hey, everything okay?" Emily asked as soon as she answered the phone.

"No." I whimpered. "No, it's not."

"What's wrong? What's happened?" Emily asked. I could hear the worry in her voice.

"They're taking my car." I mumbled.

"Who's taking your car?"

"It's been repossessed."

"Oh."

"Can you help me get the kids to school?" I asked, praying that she would be able to help me.

"Yeah, of course. I'll be right there."

~Rub~

After Emily had picked the kids up for school, I decided it was time to look around the house for answers.

My car had just been repossessed, and I had seen the missing payments for myself. As far as I was aware, we had never made a late payment in our live. But Edward's boss had said that he got paid off months ago.

So how had we been surviving?

I knew I needed to find out how exactly how bad things were and how much money we had left.

I started in the kitchen drawer where Edward usually kept the bills and other letters, but apart from junk mail, there was nothing else there.

I searched the rest of the kitchen drawers, but I couldn't find any letters.

It looked like he had done his best to hide them from me.

I couldn't believe that he would keep something like this from me, and worse than that, I couldn't understand how he could leave us when things were this bad.

I tried our bedroom next. I looked through Edward's drawers and the boxes under his side of the bed, but I never found what I was hoping to find.

I then tried his wardrobe.

I checked the top shelf and then the shoe rack at the side, but I still couldn't find anything.

I was about to give up when I noticed his gym bag lying in the corner on the floor.

His gym stuff was about the only thing I refused to wash for him, so it would make the perfect place to hide something.

I opened his bag and tossed his gym clothes out of the way.

I found a box stashed in the bottom of the bag. Inside the box, I found a pile of bills with red-letter heading.

Why had he keep this a secret from me?

There was the water bill and the electricity bill both of them were demanding payment and warning that they were due to be cut off soon.

There was also a letter for the car payments, but I already knew about that one.

Then there was our credit card statements, both were maxed out and overdue.

The only thing that wasn't behind was the mortgage.

I rummaged through the pile looking for our bank statement … Anything to give me an indication of what we had left, but I couldn't find one.

I felt sick, as I looked down at all the letters.

We were at least five thousand dollars in debt.

I knew I had to find a job, and soon.

I had no idea who was going to hire an inexperienced mother of two.

However, I would soon find out.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **

A huge thank you to my beta **Fran** and my pre-readers **Cristina** & **Sherry**. You guys rock!

Thank you very much for all the reviews / alerts / favs

I am behind on my replies, but I will do my best to get to them asap.

Oh, and some of you have been asking about the Client List. Yes, the inspiration for this story came from the tv programme, but will be different. (esp when Edward returns)

**Chapter 3**

I had spent the past week searching for a job, but as it turns out no one wanted to hire a single mother of two with no previous work experience.

I can't say that I blame them.

I wasn't sure I would risk hiring me either.

My mom had always said that I should use my looks to my advantage. So that's what I did whenever I went on interviews, but it didn't seem to matter how much cleavage I showed or how short my skirt was.

No one was hiring or at least they weren't hiring _me._

I was beginning to wonder if I would ever find a job. It seemed a bit like a lost cause, but I wasn't willing to give up just yet.

I sat at the kitchen island looking over the local newspaper, marking any jobs I thought I would be good at when Rosalie came marching into the house.

Her eyes quickly scanned around the open planned room until they landed on me.

She had given me a half-hearted smile before she headed in my direction.

"I didn't know you were coming over," I said as she dumped her Louis Vuitton bag onto the counter.

She sighed. "I hadn't planned to, but I bumped into Emily."

"Oh."

"Why didn't you tell me?" She frowned.

"I … Was going to … Things have just been-"

She put her hand on my shoulder. "Yeah … I heard."

"Do you want me to make you a coffee?" I asked jumping up. I really didn't want to relive last week's events. I had only managed to stop myself from falling to pieces every time I thought of Edward.

"If you ask me he's a dumbass who clearly doesn't know a good thing when he sees it. I mean what man wouldn't kill to be married to you?"

I shook my head. "Rose … I … really don't want to talk about it. Do you want that coffee?"

"No, no time for coffee. We have to go."

"Go?" I looked at her confused.

"Em said you need a job."

"I do."

By the sound of things, Em had been very informative.

"Well, go and get changed so we can leave," She said, ushering me with her hands.

"I can't-"

Rose frowned. "I'm sure Esme will pick up the kids."

I sighed. I didn't like taking advantage of my mother when I hadn't arranged it with her in advance. There was no guarantee that her work would let her off early and I didn't want to put her in a position like that.

"I got you an interview. Do you want a job or not?" Rose asked, annoyed.

"Of course I do … It's just … Fine, okay … I'll call her," I sighed as I grabbed my cell.

I did need a job.

I dialed my mother's number.

She answered after a few rings. I explained to her about the interview and she was thrilled for me, even though I didn't know where or what the job entailed.

She asked her boss if she could get away early to collect the kids and her boss agreed.

I turned to Rose as I hung up the phone. "Okay, I can go. So, where is this interview?"

"You'll see when we get there," she said with a smug look on her face. "Now hurry up and change."

I looked down at the black trousers and blouse I had had on. I looked smart, well presented.

Why did I need to change?

Rose sighed in exasperation and put her hands on my shoulders, shoving me towards my bedroom. "You should put on something sexier."

"Sexier," I repeated.

She let go of me when we reached my bedroom and went over to my wardrobe. She started looking through the rack, pulling out dresses and studying them with a critical eye.

"Tell me again … Where is this interview?" I asked nervously.

"At my work."

"The massage parlor?"

"Mmhmm."

"So … Why do I need to look sexy for a massage parlor?"

"You _need_ to impress Laurent."

"You do realize I don't have a license, right?"

She shrugged. "Don't worry your pretty little head about that. It's just a minor detail."

"I bet the cops don't think it's so minor," I muttered as I sat down on the bed.

What was I getting myself into here?

What did she mean it was a minor detail?

_You need the money_, I reminded myself.

_Perhaps they'll let you work in another area until you have a license__._

"I've found the right dress," Rose said sounding pleased with herself.

I looked up to see the red dress I had worn last Christmas in her hands. It was one of those body-con type dresses that left little too the imagination. It had a low, plunging neckline and it barely covered my ass.

"Isn't that a little over the top for an interview?"

"Nonsense," she scowled. "It's perfect. Now go and put it on and then we will quickly do your hair and touch-up your face."

I grabbed the dress from her and did as I was told, though I couldn't ignore the alarm bells that were now ringing in my head.

-x

About an hour later, we pulled up outside Rose's work, a place called The Rub. It was a relatively modern building in a quite area of Reno. There wasn't anything else around for a few miles. It was the type of place you had to know existed, in order to find.

"It looks nice," I said, but I couldn't help wondering who would come for a massage all the way out here.

"Just wait till you see inside," Rose smiled.

"It's a little remote though, don't you think?"

"That's the way we like it," Rose said as she got out the car.

I quickly clambered out and shut the door, hurrying to her side.

My eyes scanned the parking lot as we made our way to the front door.

There were about six or seven cars in the lot, all of them high-end such as Lexus and Mercedes. It looked as though the parlor had some rich cliental.

"What kind of massages do they do in here?" I whispered to Rose as we walked up the steps.

"The kind that make money," she whispered before she pulled the door open and ushered me inside.

The reception room reminded me of a hotel. It was decorated in luxurious hues of gold and cream. There were two clusters of sofas on either side of the front door, with coffee tables and all the fancy trimmings.

It looked as though no expense had been spared.

On the other side of the room was a large desk, where some blonde was currently situated, typing away at a computer. On either side of the desk were corridors that had several doors lining them, I presumed that they led to different massage rooms.

"Hi." The girl behind the desk greeted us we approached.

"Hey Jess," Rose said. "Is Laurent in his office?"

Jess glanced over to the door behind her left shoulder. "He is, but he has someone with him just now."

"Who?"

The girl eyed me as if she was trying to figure out if I could be trusted.

"She's okay," Rose assured her.

"It's Judge Denali."

A judge?

"Is there something wrong?" Rose asked concerned.

Jess shook her head. "I don't think so."

I sat down on the sofa while we waited. Rose was busy chatting to Jess or should I say gossiping.

My head was too busy spinning to focus on what they were saying.

I was trying to figure what this place was about, but if I was really honest … I think I already knew. I just didn't want it to be true.

I wanted a legitimate job, but really, I just need a job.

Any job, as long as it paid well.

This week had been hard. It had been full of debt letters, the kids asking questions about Edward and the harsh reality that there was only a hundred dollars left in the bank.

I was hardly sleeping at night wondering how I was going to get us out of this mess and trying to figure out how Edward could leave us when things were so bad. But then … Maybe that is exactly why he left. He couldn't handle the pressure anymore.

If only he had talked to me.

If only he had let me help.

Sam was insistent that he thought that Paul and Edward had left together as they were both missing. Only Rachel never got a note. But then again, it wasn't unusual for Paul to disappear for a few days on one of his scams.

I expected Paul would show up any day now … Part of me hoped Edward would be with him.

Sam said Jacob was looking into both of their disappearances.

A little while later, the office door opened and two men stepped out. Both of them were dressed in suits. One of them had dark skin and head full of dreadlocks. The other had short black hair and striking blue eyes.

The one with the dreadlocks smiled at me, causing the other man to look in my direction.

"Who's this?" Blue eyes asked.

"This is Bella, my friend." Rose said strutting to my side and pulling me to my feet. She wrapped her arm protectively around mine.

I hoped that he wasn't Laurent because he clearly had no idea who I was or why I was here.

"Bella," Dreadlocks said walking towards me and extending his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

I took his hand, shaking it gently.

"A new start?" The other man asked, walking up behind him.

"A possible new start," Dreadlocks said not taking his eyes from me. "She's here for an interview."

Ah, so he _was _Laurent.

The other man extended his hand. "I'm Eleazar. I hope you get the job," he said giving me a wink.

He must be the Judge … Denali was it?

"Thank you," I smiled.

"If she gets the job let me know," he said turning to Laurent. "I wouldn't mind being under her capable hands for a few hours."

Laurent nodded.

"I'll see you ladies later," he said walking towards the door. "Oh and Laurent remember what we talked about."

With that, he turned and walked outside.

Laurent motioned towards his office. "Shall we?"

I nodded and took a deep breath as I made my way past him.

_This was it._

My stomach was doing somersaults.

Laurent's office was every bit as luxurious as the reception room. It was decorated in the same colors, but the furniture had a manlier feel to it; more over-sized.

It might make some people wonder if he was trying to compensate for something else.

I sat down on the cream chair in front of his desk, while he sat down on the other side.

"So, Bella, how much has Rose told you about what we do here?" Laurent asked leaning back in his chair and studying me.

I smiled, slightly embarrassed.

Rose had told me nothing.

"Very little," I replied.

He nodded. "Well, you seem like a smart lady, as you've probably gathered not everything here is above board. We, of course, do normal massages for appearances sake, but we also offer a unique set of services to certain clients."

"What kind of services?"

"That depends on the client, but usually blowjobs, handsjobs … Some clients are kinkier than others. Some like a little role-play, a little bit of dressing up or perhaps some food play."

I nodded, unsure what to say.

Why was he telling me all this?

How did he know if I could be trusted or not?

"Does that sound like something you would be interested in doing?"

"I …" I was utterly speechless.

How could I go about telling him that I had only ever had sex with one person … My husband. If I told him this information, he most likely wouldn't be interested in giving me a job.

I wasn't sure if I could touch another man or if I even wanted this job.

"It pays well," he said as if he could sense my doubt.

I really wanted to ask how much.

Would that be the persuading factor?

"Your standard rate will be $20 an hour, but you can expect to receive tips ranging from $200 - $500 per client, sometimes more."

"How long does a session last?"

I couldn't believe I was considering this.

"An hour."

_Wow_ … With that kind of money, I could keep up with the bills and start to pay off the debts Edward had left me with.

I could take care of the kids.

I could manage on my own.

"What are you thinking?" Laurent asked gazing at me intently.

"I think that's a lot of money," I blurted out.

He nodded his head in agreement. "It is, but there are also rules that must be followed."

"Rules?"

"No intercourse. No relationships with customers. No meeting clients outside of The Rub."

It was all common sense really.

"I look after my girls."

When he said that, he sounded like a pimp.

_That's exactly what he is._

_And if he's a pimp … what am I? _

"It makes it easier to look after you when you play by the rules."

I nodded. He was talking as if I had already accepted the job.

Did he know how desperate I was?

"Come," he said getting up. "Let me show you around one of the rooms."

I followed him down the corridor to the right, to the door at the end of the hall.

The massage rooms were decorated to match the rest of the building.

In the centre of the room lay the massage table. At the side were some shelves, a sideboard and a sink. Laurent explained that is where they keep the oils and fresh towels.

In the far corner, there was a privacy screen and a chair.

This definitely wasn't the kind of a place where you would expect seedy things to happen.

I imagined illegal massage parlors to be in rundown buildings or in rooms hidden in the back of a porn shop. Definitely not somewhere like this.

"This," Laurent said pointing to a button by the door, "is a panic button. Press this and I'll be in here in two seconds flat. Someone gets too touchy or makes you feel uncomfortable in any way, all you have to do is press this button to end the session."

"How often do the girls need to press the button?" I asked growing concerned.

"I've only had one girl press the button in the five years that I've owned The Rub. Our special clients have been vetted before they make it onto the approved list. As a new girl, you would only be seeing regulars anyway, so it's not something you would need to worry about. Rose sees all the new customers to begin with as an extra precaution, so by the time they make it to you they will know all the dos and don'ts."

I nodded.

He made it all sound so easy.

"Really, there is nothing to worry about. You will be perfectly safe here as long as you follow the rules."

The rules would be easy for me to follow. I wasn't interested in having sex with another man or seeing any of them outside of work, never mind the thought of ever having a relationship with one of them. One broken marriage was enough to last me a lifetime.

"So if I haven't scared you away yet, shall we take this interview to the next step?"

I gulped.

The next step, what did that mean?

Did I even want to know?

I felt sick at the thought.

My nails were digging into the palms of my hands.

I wanted to say no and run as far away from this place as I could, but I knew I couldn't.

Did he know that too?

How much did he know about my situation?

What had Rose told him?

_The money_, I reminded myself.

You're doing this for the money, and for Jackson and Olivia.

You have to stay here and do this for them.

I forced myself to breathe and then I slowly nodded my head.

Laurent smiled. "Great. Well, if you'll just wait here, I'll back in a minute."

I watched him disappear out of the room.

Where the hell was he going?

What the hell did he want me to do?

What was this next step?

I wasn't sure I could do this.

I wasn't sure I was cut out for this.

I wanted to go home and see my babies.

_If you don't do this__,__ you won't have a home for you or your babies, _the voice inside my head tried to reason with me.

I sighed.

I had to do this.

A few minutes later Laurent walked back into the room. "One of our regulars, Marcus, has just come in. I've offered him a free hour with you in exchange for his feedback on your performance. I hope that this is okay with you?"

I nodded, even though it wasn't.

"I thought you would be more comfortable doing this with a stranger than doing it with me."

He was right with his assumption. I don't think I could possibly do _that_ with him and then face him each day.

It was going to be hard enough to get through this without having to do it to my boss.

_Okay … It's time to put your big girl panties on, _I told to myself.

A few seconds later there was a knock at the door and in came Marcus.

Laurent introduced us and then left.

I was glad he didn't linger. It would only have made things more awkward.

Marcus was the opposite of what I had been expecting. He was tall and slim built. He sort of had the surfer look going on, with long, shoulder length hair, knee length shorts and a baggy t-shirt.

"You look nervous," Marcus said smiling down at me.

I offered him a small smile.

Was I that obvious?

"You're not a cop are you? You're not going to arrest me as soon as we get down to the deed?"

I laughed, the tension in the air eased a little. "No, I'm not a cop."

"Good. I don't want to have to explain this to the Mrs."

"It can be our little secret," I assured him.

"I'd like that."

The conversation stilled after that and the silence began to grow awkward again.

I looked around the room wondering what the best way to get things going was.

How did the other girls do this?

Laurent had failed to go over that part or perhaps he had done that on purpose to see how I would cope.

"The other girls typically go behind the screen and get changed while I get comfortable on the bed," Marcus offered.

"Get changed?" I asked confused.

"Into lingerie."

"Oh …"

"I mean … It's okay … I'm not saying you have to-" He stuttered as his face burned red.

I let out a nervous chuckle and put my hand up to stop him. "Why don't you get comfy and I'll go change."

I walked behind the screen, glad that I had worn a matching bra and panty today. I had always made an effort to buy pretty underwear to please Edward … Shit! I couldn't think of him right now.

Thinking of your husband while you're about to jack off another guy just wasn't a good idea.

I shook my head as I started to take off my dress.

_Pull it together Bella._

_You have to do this._

"Ready?" I called out a few minutes later when I no longer heard movement in the room.

"Yeah," Marcus answered.

I took a deep breath and stepped out from behind the screen.

He was lying on his back on the massage table with a towel covering his torso.

I couldn't remember if the towel had been sitting out already.

I hoped he didn't need to get it himself, that wouldn't look good for me.

I had to make more of an effort.

I _had_ to impress him if I wanted this job.

I walked over to the sideboard with fake confidence and grabbed a bottle of oil.

_Sensual massage oil._

I guess this was the right one.

After all, we were going to get sensual.

I squirted a reasonable amount into my hands and rubbed them together before walking over to Marcus to begin working on his shoulders.

His shoulders felt tight as if he was someone who was under a lot of stress.

Should I talk to him while I do this?

Do guys want to talk or just concentrate on getting off?

I had no idea.

There was so much Laurent should have told me.

I figured I should at least try to strike up conversation, and if he didn't seem talkative, I would know to keep quiet.

"So … Marcus, what do you do for a living?"

"I'm a lawyer."

"A lawyer …" I said as my hands moved over to his chest. The way I was stretching over him made my breasts bob directly in front of his face, but he seemed to like that. I could tell by his growing erection or maybe it was the feel of my hands. "What kind of law do you specialize in, if I may ask?"

"Environmental Law."

I moved over to his right side and started working his arm, wanting to get my boobs away from his face.

It just didn't feel right.

"That's unusual," I said trying to continue the conversation.

He smiled at me. "Yeah, I feel really passionate about the environment. Both my parents are Greenpeace activists. I didn't have the most conventional of upbringings."

I thought he looked like the outdoorsy type.

I lifted the towel off his right leg and began to work it with my hands.

His erection was now bulging.

Had this been a normal massage parlor I'm sure he would have been kicked out the building by now for that kind of behavior.

_Why couldn't I work in a normal massage parlor?_

"What about you?" He asked. "I … Ah … Mean … What did you do before this?"

I cringed.

I couldn't exactly tell him I was a mother of two and this was my first job.

I was more than sure that would be a turn off for him.

"Nothing special, I use to work in retail," I said, hoping he wouldn't ask anymore.

He nodded and I went back to focusing on his leg, staring at his towel-covered cock.

I wondered what I should do when it came time to touch _it_.

Should I grab it and just go for it or was I supposed to ask him what he wanted?

Maybe he wanted a blowjob.

I cringed at the idea of another man's dick in my mouth.

I could just … Almost … Maybe … Handle the thought of one in my hand.

That wasn't as invasive as having one in my mouth.

Did I really need to give blowjobs?

Couldn't I get away with just doing handjobs instead?

Hmm, that was something that I was going to have to talk Laurent about when I was finished here.

Surely I was permitted to have my own limits?

I looked at Marcus wondering what to do. He had his eyes closed and seemed to be enjoying the feel of my hands.

Maybe he would be turned on if I just took the lead and did my own thing.

Maybe he didn't even want a blowjob.

I stifled a laugh … Yeah, right.

I moved around to his left side, lifted the towel off his leg, and began to massage. it.

I told myself I was ensuring I had worked and relaxed every part of him, but I knew I was just wasting time, putting off the inevitable.

His dick was pulsing under the towel, calling out for my attention.

I was going have to touch is sooner rather than later.

Maybe I should pretend he's Edward.

Maybe that would make this easier.

_No! _

_Just touch the dick and put all thought of your husband out your head, _I internally roared at myself.

Pretending that some stranger's cock actually belongs to the husband that left you is all sorts of fucked up.

I was right, that was fucked up to imagine.

Okay … It was time to do this.

I was going to do this.

I lifted the towel a little before I changed my mind and reached underneath, grabbing hold of his dick.

Marcus hissed with delight.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad if I didn't actually have to look.

I held it firmly in my hand as I began to stroke it up and down, my thumb teasing the head.

The head was already dripping with pre-cum.

I hoped that meant he wouldn't last long.

I worked him for what seemed like hours, not wanting to go too fast and hard as I didn't want him to think I was trying to get him to come as soon as possible—which, of course, was exactly what I wanted, but I just couldn't let him think that.

I had to make the customer happy, right?

I had to make him feel wanted.

Make him believe that I actually wanted this … Somehow.

Maybe I should work on that one.

Eventually, he started to twitch and then he grunted as a warm liquid spilled all over my hand.

It was over.

Thank Christ it was over.

I wiped and cleaned the both of us with a towel before I went over to the sink and started washing my hands.

I could hear Marcus fumbling with his clothes behind me.

I took my time at the sink trying to avoid filling the awkward silence with small talk because I had no idea what to say to him. He was a stranger that I had just been intimate with and that was all kinds of fucked up. I wasn't a one-night-stand kind of woman.

"You did well for your first time," Marcus said, breaking the silence. "I have nothing but good things to report back to Laurent."

I turned around and smiled at him. "Thank you."

That was a relief to hear, but I wasn't sure I deserved it at all.

"I'll hopefully see you again." He did look hopeful. Maybe he liked me and that was why he was overly generous.

"Yeah," I replied, unsure what else to say.

He smiled and then turned towards the door. When he was almost out, I noticed a white envelope sitting on the table. "You dropped this," I called out to him, picking it up.

"That's for you."

"It's your tip."

"Oh. Thank you," I replied shocked. I hadn't expected him to tip me. I thought this session was supposed to be free. "Thank you very much."

"No worries. I'll see you soon, Bella."

When he was gone, I looked inside the envelope. He had left me a $500 tip for less than an hour's work.

That was fucking crazy.

I could now buy groceries and get Jackson the new pair of trainers he needed.

This job could be the answer to all my problems.

I quickly dressed and waited in the room.

Laurent walked in about five minutes later, with a big grin on his face.

He looked pleased, and that was a good sign.

"You did well Bella. Marcus was impressed. He spoke very highly of you."

"Does that mean I've got the job?"

He nodded. "I think you will fit in nicely here."

"Oh, thank you. Thank you so much!" I said grabbing him out of excitement and pulling him into a hug. "You won't regret this, I promise."

"See to it that I don't."


End file.
